Good morning,
News from the US dominate today’s morning briefing. Closer to home, the Elysee Palace confirmed that Macron accepted the resignation of the interior minister while the tone of voice between Italy and the EU over the budget is getting harsher. In UEFA Champions League we read that Paulo Dybala inspired Juventus to a second win while CSKA Moskva held on to beat Real Madrid and Ajax drew at Bayern.
This and a review of the Maltese newspapers follows in your morning briefing.
The Latest
An envelope addressed to President Donald Trump, contained a substance to be ricin. The incident seems connected to several packages suspected of containing ricin sent to the Pentagon, officials said. The substance can be lethal and has no known antidote. CNN
The number of people known to have died in Indonesia in Friday’s earthquake and tsunami has risen to 1,347, disaster response officials say.
Theresa May has told the BBC she is “cross” with Boris Johnson after the former foreign secretary launched a fresh attack on her plan for Brexit. BBC
France’s Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation of his interior minister, the Elysee Palace said Wednesday, in the latest blow to the president who had earlier refused to allow his loyal ally to quit. Le Monde/France 24
As Italy once again picks fights with the EU and the financial markets, the message from Brussels is clear: You might win the battle, but you won’t win the war. Politico
U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in tax schemes that included cases of fraud in which he and his siblings helped their parents dodge millions in taxes, the New York Times reported on Tuesday. New York Times
FBI is expanding its inquiry into sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh beyond the initial four interviews. CNN
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet Kim Jong Un in North Korea on Sunday, says US State Department. AFP
A man has been stabbed on a busy London Overground train just before it pulled into an east London station. BBC
The UN envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame told AFP it will be difficult to hold elections as hoped on December 10, citing violence and long overdue legislation. Libya Observer
Iraq’s Parliament elected a veteran Kurdish politician as the country’s new president, in a step to form a new government. AP
Amazon announced on Tuesday it would raise its minimum wage for US employees from $11 to $15 (€13) per hour from next month. DW
Four men linked to a white supremacist group were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the far-right rally that turned deadly in Charlottesville, Virginia, last year, authorities said. Al Jazeera
The breach affecting 50m accounts took advantage of ‘tokens’, a system used by third-party platforms such as Spotify. The Guardian
Paulo Dybala inspired Juventus to a second win while CSKA Moskva held on to beat Real Madrid and Ajax drew at Bayern. UEFA
The Review
The Malta Independent reports on instructions by the Malta Union of Teachers to MCAST lecturers to reduce their teaching content. The move comes after a dispute with MCAST over reduction in student entitlement hours by the college but retaining the same syllabus.
In-Nazzjon covers another story about the Union of Teachers following a press conference by president Marco Bonnici who called a new Education Act due to be presented in Parliament as a ‘siege on the professionalism and educational systems’ by the government. The MUT said the act will remove permanent warrants without indicating the criteria to receive a warrant.
The Malta Independent carries a second story about the vote in the European Parliament about proposals advanced by Maltese MEP Miriam Dalli. The plan aims to cut CO2 emissions by 40 percent by 2030 across the EU. Dalli told the EP that the proposals would create jobs, drive investment and improve health.
MaltaToday leads with a story about a Maltese civil servant in Brussels who was found guilty of assaulting a woman while on a night out in 2015. Stefano Grech, 49, was declared guilty of assault aggravated by racial hatred and ordered to perform community work with a race-related organisation.
Another story in MaltaToday says that Magistrate Joe Mifsud told the lawyers representing the captain of the rescue-ship Lifeline to refrain from talking to the media. Lawyers Cedric Mifsud and Neil Falzon defied the warning and addressed the media right after the court sitting.
MaltaToday reports on the Delta Summit opening tonight until Friday, making it the first state-official event on Blockchain. The newspaper says that industry heavyweights will address the summit, with some 3,500 people attending from all over the world.
L-Orizzont also cover the launch of the Delta Summit, saying that participants will experience Malta as ‘The Blockchain Island’. The newspaper says that Malta became the first jurisdiction to offer a regulatory framework for this emerging sector.
The Times reveals figures from Eurostat which show that almost 40 percent of deaths among Maltese are related to the heart diseases. Cardiologist Robert Xuereb said earlier this year that heart failure was on the rise, with young people also at risk.
Another story in The Times reports on statements made by Planning Authority chairman Johann Buttigieg who said that politicians have no influence over his decisions on permits. Answering questions about corruption in the PA, Buttigieg said he always invited the public to report any suspicions to the police or corruption commission.
In-Nazzjon says that the Opposition presented a motion in Parliament to order the government to withdraw regulations governing a new waste-collection programme which, it says, are not well-planned and carry many ‘errors’.
L-Orizzont reports on the Extraordinary National Congress of the General Workers Union, marking 75 years of the organisation. Secretary General Josef Bugeja said that the congress is a celebration of union among workers. The event will be addressed by the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition, among others.
Another story in L-Orizzont quotes figures by the National Statistics Office showing a 9 percent rise in employment between 2012 and 2017. The newspaper says the rate rose by 6 percent among men and 12 percent among women over the period.
